My health recovery is incredibly fast.

"The monster eggs are currently under the effect of a Crushing Blow spell with a power of 70. The pressure provided by the Crushing Blow spell perfectly replicates the pressure of seawater in the lightless zone, and so far, both monster eggs remain intact."

"When Master Rexor created this image orb, he infused it with 120 points of attribute-neutral energy. The total duration of the image is 1.2 seconds, and a total of 120 images were recorded."

"I numbered these images according to their chronological order."

"The monster egg exploded 0.03 seconds after the pressure change, which is in scene number 3, where the first crack appeared on the surface of the monster egg."

"Within 0.05 seconds of that, in the scenes numbered 4 to 8, the baby turtles inside the strange egg disappeared."

"Only by seizing the first half of this 0.05 seconds can we preserve the alien creation."

"In other words, we must successfully locate the juvenile turtle within 0.025 seconds after the first crack appears and seal it with coagulation rays in order to be considered successful."

“That’s right.” Rexol and Hillenburg nodded in agreement.

Master Lemon scanned the surrounding magic arrays. "We have set up 16 diffraction arrays, as well as solidification ray arrays connected to them. This is equivalent to having 16 chances to seal the young turtle. If all goes well, at least 3 solidification rays should hit the target at the same time."

Master Lemon looked at Adanavados and smiled, "Let's wait and see."

Adanavardos responded with a smile.

The relationship between the two... feels a bit strange, like long-time partners, yet also like rivals secretly vying for power...

Xia Zuo swept aside irrelevant thoughts and quietly waited for the experiment to begin.

Master Lemon gave the magic circle a final check to ensure that every inch of the monster egg's surface was exposed to the rays, then walked to the front of the group and placed his hand on the enclosed control panel.

"I'm going to deactivate the crushing spell inside the control panel. 3, 2, 1, deactivate!"

"puff."

"Buzz buzz buzz buzz~"

At the instant the strange egg exploded, 5 of the 16 light green rays turned light blue, while the rest disappeared.

Did you make it?

Xia Zuo rubbed his eyes and saw the smile on Master Lemon's face. He calmed down a bit and shifted his gaze to the control panel.

The slime that splattered from the exploding egg slid down the glass partition of the control panel, revealing the scene inside a few seconds later:

A tiny baby turtle was struck by five light blue rays and floated motionless in the center of the control panel.

It was indeed a success.

The baby turtles did not disappear into thin air.

“Alright, everyone, let’s move on to the next step.” Master Lemon gestured to his several tower mages. “According to the previously agreed plan, we will unravel the mystery of the deep-sea turtle’s telepathic abilities on the spot.”

The five rays that struck the baby turtle remained motionless, and the corresponding magic arrays remained active. The tower mage who controlled the magic arrays sat cross-legged on the spot and entered deep meditation, while continuously pouring energy into the magic arrays.

Clearly, the mages who have entered the core circle of the Tower Mage School have mastered a unique meditation method that can take into account both deep meditation and energy output.

The remaining tower mages sprang into action, removing the excess diffraction arrays and setting up new ones.

What kind of magic array will it be this time?

Xia Zuo looked at his mentor, and the senior students around him, whose aptitude was still shallow and who had not yet delved into magic arrays, also looked over.

Adanavardos pondered for a few seconds. Considering that half of his students could not pass the test of the Tower Mage School and could not become Tower Mages, he decided to teach more basic knowledge.

Adanavados pointed to a tall mage not far away who was setting up some kind of circular magic circle and said:

"Master Lemon needs to confirm whether the telepathy of the deep-sea turtle is some kind of magic or a special ability brought about by mutation."

"The magic array that the tower mage is setting up is called the All-Element Energy Detection Array. It can detect energy fluctuations of all elements and all types."

"Even energy fluctuations with less than one-thousandth of the power can be detected by this array. Correspondingly, the cost of setting up this array is also very high."

"All its materials possess spirituality. Before use, it is necessary to connect with the user's spirit through the power of totems in order to detect fluctuations in spiritual energy."

When learning spells with introspection effects, Adanavados recommended a spirit spell called "Mind Sharpening" to Shazo.

[A book-reading app recommended to me by a friend I've known for ten years, Mimi Reading! It's damn good! I use it to read aloud and listen to books while driving or before bed to pass the time. You can download it here.]

Although I haven't read any spellbooks on mental sharpening, it's not hard to tell from the spell name and Adanavardos's words that mental energy is a type of energy based on the spirit body, and it's also an energy system recognized by the Temple of Mages, coexisting with the four elemental energies and attributeless energies.

Xia Zuo really wanted to ask what other types of energy there were besides these three... However, now was not a good time to ask, so he had to put it aside for the time being and wait for another opportunity.

"The full-element energy detection array is set up. Let's see how it works." Adanavados tilted his chin slightly towards the array not far away, drawing the students' attention.

After Master Lemon and other high-level mages who were controlling the magic array entered a meditative state, they cast a stream of attribute-less energy, which had no magical effect, onto the turtle cub, forcing the turtle cub to send an alarm to its mother.

"Om~"

The entire energy detection array then lit up with a bright golden-white light.

Adanavaldos provided timely explanation:

"Hmm~ The telepathy of the deep-sea turtle uses mental energy, and golden-white is the color of mental energy. If you learn soul vision, you will find that spirits are also this color."

Chapter 57 Mutation and Color

“Very good. The deep-sea turtle relies on the subtle traces of mental energy to send out telepathic signals. Although this energy is difficult to track, it is not a problem for the tower mage. Everything can be traced.”

Master Lemon's gaze met Adanavanados and Rexor in turn, finally settling on Hillenburg, and he said:

"The fact that the Church of the Otherworldly Demons refined the turtle cubs to be so fragile that they would vanish at the slightest sign of trouble suggests that they likely knew that the fluctuations in their mental energy would eventually be detected by our Tower Mages, who would then be able to trace the energy's path."

"So, Professor Hillenburg, now that we've determined that psychic energy is related to the telepathic connection of the deep-sea turtles, could we......"

Raymond used a special method to communicate with Hillenburg silently for a minute.

Xia Zuo saw a hint of regret on his research group leader's face at first, but then he regained his composure.

Judging from Raymond's words, she was probably trying to persuade Hillenburg to give up his research rights on the strange eggs and transfer the remaining intact eggs, which had been detoxified, to the Tower Mage in order to increase the margin of error in tracking psychic energy.

“Master Lemon, I need to discuss this with Master Adanavardos first, since the work of removing the toxins was done by him and his students,” Hillenburg said, adjusting his glasses.

“That’s natural. We can discuss the specifics of transferring the experimental samples later.” Master Lemon seemed confident of victory.

“Master, may I speak with you in private?” Hillenburg invited Adanavanados to a corner of the alchemy room, and waved his hand to create a barrier around him that blocked the transmission of sight and sound.

Will the team leader give up the experimental samples?

Xia Zuo instinctively thought no.

Hillenburg's dedication to marine ecology makes it difficult for the Tower Master to offer any incentives commensurate with his unwavering commitment to secure the near-perfect experimental samples.

Moreover, Hillenburg had dealt with the deep-sea turtle a year earlier, but ended up only getting a fragmented turtle carcass and couldn't even make a complete anatomical diagram, so he must have had some reservations.

Now that such a great research opportunity is right in front of me, how could I possibly give it up?

If it were Xia Zuo, he wouldn't be willing either... unless the other party offered an exceptionally large sum...

In a corner where the light and shadows were blurred and impossible to see, Adanavados emerged alone, with nothing behind him. Hillenburg remained where he was.

“Master Lemon, I’ve discussed it with Hillenberg. I’m afraid we can’t transfer the remaining monster eggs to you.” Adanavados said calmly, his arms crossed in front of him, as he looked at Lemon, whose brow was slightly furrowed.

"I do have a suggestion."

"Our alchemy school would like to entrust the High Tower Master with the task of sealing the young turtle."

"We only ask for a complete carcass of a juvenile turtle; the juvenile does not need to be alive."

"As a gesture of goodwill for cooperation, the Alchemy School is willing to share some of its research findings with the Tower Mage. What do you think?"

Master Lemon didn't dwell on why the other party was unwilling to transfer the monster egg. After a brief moment of thought, she nodded and said:

"Okay, the cooperation must continue, right?"

"I will have the Tower Mage set up a diffraction array for you, connect it with a solidification ray array, and then use a full-element energy detection array to confirm that your turtle cub also has traces of mental energy."

"But that's all. You'll have to find the container to hold the turtle carcass yourself."

"Furthermore, the research results you share must include at least one core piece of content. Don't just try to fool us with scraps. I believe your alchemy school isn't that stingy."

"Of course, of course." Adanavados chuckled a few times kindly, walked over to his students, called out Shazo, and gave him some instructions:

"Later, after the tower mage seals the turtle corpse, I will have the other students extract some materials to decipher some of the physiological structure of the turtle larvae."

"You and Hillenburg will work together to study the remaining materials. Remember to keep it a secret. Your research results may be very important. Follow Hillenburg's instructions completely, understand?"

“Okay, mentor, I’ve got it.” Xia Zuo nodded in response.

“Go, go find your team leader, he has something to say to you.” Adanavados waved his hand.

Xia Zuo walked into the corner where a privacy barrier had been set up.

Hillenburg, having overheard the conversation between two masters of different schools of thought, smiled slightly, picked up a locked notebook, turned to the page with the tattered diagram of the deep-sea turtle, and said:

“Look, here, here, and here, these core parts are damaged.”

"I've wanted to fill in the missing parts for a long time, and now I finally have the opportunity."

Hillenburg took a deep breath to calm his excited emotions.

Xia Zuo had long understood his state of mind. Almost every alchemist who has delved deeply into a certain field goes through the psychological process of "the problem is finally about to be solved".

Hillenburg, regaining his composure, rubbed his temples, lowered his voice, and said mysteriously:

“I have a hunch that Master Lemon’s deduction may be wrong.”

"Uh... what do you mean?" Xia Zuo didn't understand what the other party was trying to say for a moment.

“I mean…” Hillenburg glanced at Master Lemon, who was directing the tower mages to set up the energy tracking array, “I mean, the Deep Sea Turtle may not rely on mental energy to achieve telepathy.”

Hillenburg patted his notebook, his tone certain, "I still believe that the telepathy of the deep-sea turtles originates from the mutated organs unique to monsters, and it is these organs that enable the telepathic connection between the cubs and the mother."

Xia Zuo scratched his head. "Then... why do the baby turtles exhibit fluctuations in mental energy when they connect with their mother?"

His question was also the most perplexing and puzzling aspect for Hillenburg…

“I…I don’t know.” Hillenburg frowned, staring at the anatomical diagrams in his notebook, and muttered to himself:

"This doesn't make sense, and it doesn't align with my research findings over the past decades."

"I have been beneath the surface of the Mediterranean Sea for a very long time and have encountered many marine monsters. Most of them only have water affinity, and a few have earth affinity."

"The magical energy they can use is mainly water-based and earth-based."

"But mental energy... to be honest, this is the first time I've ever seen a monster that can use mental energy."

"If this is true, then we are witnessing history, because the source of spiritual energy is the spirit body. The fact that the deep-sea turtle can release spiritual energy means that it has a spirit body and knows how to use it..."